ALCI members' success at Bloom

04 June 2019

ALCI members won a number of awards at Bloom 2019

The overall show garden award went to Alan Rudden, Outside Options, for his Argentinian themed Vina Dona Paula - A Matter of Altitude garden (see photo). Alan Rudden is a multiple Bloom gold medal winner and also last year received a gold medal at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Show, London along with the Best in Show, Best Show Planting prize and Best World Garden. Alan's garden for Dona Paula (Santa Rita Estates) was inspired by a recent visit to Mendoza, Argentina which is reflected in the sprawling landscape and the contrast between the lower altitude, urban social life of the city and the higher altitude, more rural, open landscape where Dona Paula's vines are grown.

Urban garden designer Kevin Dennis, Cityscape Gardener, won his fourth gold medal and his third in a row following wins in 2014, 2017 & 2018. This year's garden which was sponsored by FBD Insurance captures a contemporary urban lifestyle with the aim of inspiring people living in towns or cities to disconnect from an online world and become more engaged with their outdoor spaces around them.

Paddy McDermott, Creative Landscaping Works, from Bridgend, Co Donegal was crowned the Super Garden Viewers' Choice award winner at Bloom. It comes after he recently featured on the RTE gardening show when he created a "Family Togetherness" design for Kieran and Olivia Kelly from Letterkenny.